


On How To Use Google Translate And Not Totally Ruin Your Chances

by Creepikat



Category: Starfighter (Comic)
Genre: Athos is loud, Ethos is a cutie, M/M, Phobos is a diva bitch, Praxis is the most honorable, Selene is an innocent shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 01:05:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4371269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creepikat/pseuds/Creepikat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’re an exchange student and you’re assigned to me and I try my best to speak to you while using Google translate but this whole time you spoke English asshole ?”-AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	On How To Use Google Translate And Not Totally Ruin Your Chances

**Author's Note:**

> Deithos version of this lovely prompt seemed a good idea in my mind ^^
> 
> No beta-read, you’re warned.

Usually professor Keeler’s classes were Ethos’s favorites and he was drinking greedily every words he said. But today something even more appealing was distracting him. A new student, sitting only a few seats away from him. 

Ethos wasn’t the kind to stare or ogle. Yet this person was…bewitching. Black coal hair perfectly brushed and hiding one crystal clear eye. A calm expression on yet a sly glint in his gaze. Leather jacket a little too large complemented by a scarf where he sometimes hide his smirk. Ethos was under the charm. Litteraly. He knew himself, his crush were sudden and overwhelming. He never had the guts to confess yet he could spend weeks dreaming about the man who captured his eyes before finding a reason to give up. He always found one so he could excuse his cowardice and never approach the person. 

It’s only at the end of the class that he noticed he had been daydreaming all this time, gazing shyly at the new student, focused on his discreet yet intriguing presence. Shaking his head with a blush, he put his notes and pens in his bag and stood up. As he was making his way to the exit, mind clouded with flustered thoughts, he barely heard professor Keeler calling him. He had to grasp his shoulder to obtain his attention.

“Ethos !”

“W..What ?! Oh ! Sorry ! I was…”

“Distracted, I know, I noticed you weren’t really attentive today.” Keeler gave him a gentle smile but Ethos wasn’t fooled. For whose who knew the professor well enough, a smile from him could be merely friendly or, in contrary, a death threath. He gulped.

“S..Sorry sir ! It won’t happen again !”

The annoyed glint in Keeler’s eyes softened and he patted his shoulder.

“It’s fine, it’s not like you did this often. However…I have a little favor to ask you.”

With a tiny smirk, he stepped aside. Revealing the dark-haired beautiful stranger who had caught his eyes all morning. He gulped even louder. 

“Deimos there is an exchange student. He’s from Russia and only arrived this week. It’s his first day on campus so do you mind keeping him company a bit ? It might be hard for him to integrate or ask for help, since he’s foreign to this place and country.”

“Hum…I…”

“Take it as a way to make amends for your little…distraction.”

Keeler was the devil coated in a white toga and bright halo. His eyes betrayed his amusement. He knew. He knew exactly what the source of his daydreams was. And he enjoyed using it as a form of punition. If Ethos had been a bit more brave he might have glared at his professor. But instead he nodded obediently, hiding a burning blush as his eyes met clear ones. With a wavering smile he left the room, Deimos quietly following him, beautiful shadow.

Keeler sat on his desk and smiled with delight. Happily typing on his phone, he waited impatiently for Encke’s congratulations for being an evil professor. This and the hour of their nightly rendez-vous as well…

~

What should he do, what should he do, what should he do ?!!

Deimos was right beside him, a stolid expression on as they passed some buildings. Should he explain to him what they were or did he already know ? If he managed to come to this morning class he must know, no need to make a fool of himself. Suddenly his stomach groaned, reminding him painfully that it was time for lunch. Embarassment tainting his cheeks red, he cursed mentally. From the corner of his eyes he could see Deimos giving him a strange glance. Great, just what he needed to make a good impression. 

“Hum…I didn’t eat a lot this morning, I was late and my appartment is a bit far so…Do you wanna go buy something with me ? The cafetaria is near, it’s a bit expensive for some people but it’s really good for, you know, campus food ! They have a lot of things, even foreign dishes sometimes, I’m sure you can find something for you ! Oh..uh it maybe sounded bad said like this, I meant that maybe you’re not really a fan of our food so…Yep. Brief. Lot of food, lot of choices. I’m done saying nonsense, sorry.”

He was sure he was fuming, his fried brain causing thick smoke to come out of his ears. He was rambling again. It happened a lot. Too much actually. And of course when he was facing his new crush. 

Carefully he looked up at Deimos. And met wondering eyes. He couldn’t really read his expression yet he couldn’t see any pity or mockery on it. Which was weird, he was used to be confronted to pointed glances all the time, due to his weirdness and incapacity to have a calm normal conversation when he was excited or nervous. Which meant often. 

“Oh, dear ! I forgot !”

Mortified, he passed a tired hand on his face before giving a sheepish glance to Deimos. Deimos the foreign russian student who just got here. And who surely didn’t speak very well his language, like most new exchange students. And here he was babbling at him without a care. How rude. 

“I…hum…maybe if I use google translate…”

He muttered to himself, scratching his nape with nervosity under Deimos’s heavy stare. He truly had beautiful clear eyes, pure as spring water, with spots of seafoam here and there. It made him feel dull with his pale eyes, more grey than blue. But it wasn’t time to get lost in the river of Deimos’s pupils. It was time to find a way to communicate, as ridiculous this one could be. He would feel worse for not doing any effort and ignoring his companion than for making a fool of himself, truly.

“Hum…Lunch…Food…There.” He pointed at the large cafetaria they could see behind the Letters building. “Hungry ?”

His encouraging smile melted a little as Deimos’s frowned at him. Great. Typing on his phone, he was relieved to see google translate appear on the screen. After some adjustement he finally managed to translate his words. With a timid and surely atrocious russian he spoke to Deimos. Gosh he should really pick this option next semester, he was majoring in Languages but what was the use if he wasn’t even able to smatter snippets of russian with this incredibly beautiful exchange student ? 

“ Ty khochesh’ yest’?” Just with his pronunciation, he knew he was massacring his language. “ YA goloden. YA idu v kafeterii. Tam eto mnogo yedy. Nemnogo dorozhe, no na samom dele khorosho.”

This time his hopeful gaze was rewarded by a tiny smile and he felt his heart swell with pride and relief. Finally ! 

“Okay ! Then follow me ? Oh…Hum… Sleduy za mnoy?”

Deimos nodded as Ethos beamed. The blonde immediatly started to walk, yet he made sure the russian student was behind him. After all who knew with google translate ? But he seemed decided to come with him, silent as always but a small smile still on, his gaze heavy on his guide. Ethos’s cheeks were on fire, he still couldn’t handle these piercing eyes. Fortunately the walk wasn’t long, as soon Deimos’s attention was on the various dishes proposed and not on the flustered Ethos anymore, this one’s heartbeat calmed down. God he hated how brutal his crush at first sight could be…When he thought about it this one might be the more violent of his life. He never had the impression that his heart was about to break out from his chest like a freaking alien before… 

“Hum…Here you have the sandwiches ! God how do you pronounce this… sendvich ? And…Hum… A vot pitstsa. Kak i drugiye goryachiye blyuda. I deserty zdes’. Chto… chto ty khochesh’?” 

Nervously fidgeting with his phone, he tried to wait patiently for Deimos to make his choice, hoping he understood everything. Pensive, this one looked at all the food presented before grabbing a simple sandwich. Eyes narrowed, he looked like he was concentrating on the inscriptions, tiny and not translated at all. 

“E…Eto…Kuritsa. Pomidor. Salat i mayonez.” 

Deimos gave him what might be a grateful look then went to the cash deck. Ethos choose a tuna sandwich then quickly followed him, worried he might be lost with foreign money or that a dumb cashier wouldn’t be patient enough with an exchange student unable to communicate. Fortunately, when he arrived, Deimos was giving a note and the cashier returned the right amount of money. With a relieved sigh Ethos paid for his food as well, then dragged Deimos to the tables, trying to find a vacant one.

“Hey ! Ethos !”

He knew even before turning back that it was Athos. Him and his loud booming voice, he knew how to be noticed. With a blazed smile he waved at him and approached. He was sitting with Phobos, Praxis, Helios and Selene. The last ones were practically intertwined together, Selene on Helios’s lap, feeding each other like the sickening lovey-dovey couple they were. They stopped their antics to grin warmly at Ethos, unlike another couple that he wouldn’t mention now, too exasperated by them. Praxis put his book down to smile softly at him and Phobos granted him an haughty wave. As for Athos he practically throw himself at him, as expansive and tactile as ever.

“How are you doing bud ?! Come ! Sit with us ! Oh ! Who’s the cutie with you ?!”

Remembering he wasn’t alone, Ethos blushed and immediatly focused back on Deimos, who was eyeing the table with hesitation. 

“This…This is Deimos ! Deimos this is hum…Selene, Helios, Phobos, Praxis and Athos.” He pointed each one of his friend,waiting for the dark-haired beauty to nod after every name, to prove he registered them. “He’s an exchange student that professor Keeler assigned me ! He’s russian and he doesn’t speak our language very well I think..”

“Really ? It’s weird Keeler gave you this task. Usually he likes to take care of students himself.” Helios pointed.

“Oh he surely was too busy being fucked by Encke all lunch time to waste time with a communist. What ?” Phobos quirked an eyebrow, as usual not ashamed one bite by his rude comments. Sometimes Ethos wondered how they managed to become friends with him and Porthos, who was absent fortunately. Phobos was even more vicious around him, always trying to impress his friend with his sass. 

“Classy, as always.” Selene sighed. “But Helios have a point though. Why did he assign you to Deimos ?”

“Oh…Hum…I was a little distracted during the class and I guess he wanted to ‘punish’ me ?”

“Hmmmm hardly a punition if you want my opinion…” Athos winked at Deimos who merely quirked an eyebrow. Ethos frowned at him before giving the russian an apologetic look.

“It’s not like you to be distracted during Keeler’s classes. You love these.” Praxis frowned. “Are you feeling well ?”

“Oh yes, yes don’t worry ! I was just a bit…tired.” He hoped his brief glance toward Deimos and his flustered state didn’t betray him. After all he was often blushing, it wasn’t like it proved anything, right ?

Selene, quick and clever as always, narrowed his eyes before a sly smile painted his face.

“Ooooh I think the reason of his ‘distraction’ is right there guys.”

At this everyone, even Phobos, followed Selene’s gaze. Deimos found himself scrutinized by five pairs of curious eyes. He stayed still. Unlike Ethos who wished he had his nerves. Because even if he wasn’t the target of these heavy stares, he could feel beads of sweat rolling down his back and his cheeks start to heat up. 

“Stop this guys !”

“Awww I’m right !” Selene clapped happily, like if it was actually a good new that Ethos had a crush on the mute russian exchange student and that everyone already knew it.

“No ! It’s not…I’m not…”

“Don’t try to fool us Ethos, we know this look, we saw it at least five time, everytime you crush hard on a guy.” Athos elbowed him. “Plus he’s totally your type !”

“Look at this ass, he’s everyone’s type.” Phobos snorted. “What ? I’m maybe a bitch but I recognize a fine ass when I see one.” 

“I’m gonna go bury myself somewhere and never come out again…” Ethos whined, dropping on a seat and hiding his face in his hands. 

Deimos must have thought it was the signal that he could sit down and eat because it’s what he did. Without even an hint of nervosity or suspicion on his features. Quietly, calmly, he chewed his sandwich. Ethos was truly thankful he couldn’t understand them well enough to be as mortified as himself. Someone caught his hand and he looked up at Praxis. This one gently smiled at him and Ethos was happy he had at least one serious friend. 

“No need to be embarassed Ethos, I totally support you.” 

“Not you too !” Yelped the blonde one. 

“Come on ! You should try sunshine ! He’s cute and he’s quiet enough to let you talk for two like you use to do !” Athos grinned.

“Yes and exchange student are perfect to give some _cours de langue_ …” Phobos smirked. They all knew him long enough to understand his favorite french expressions by now. They were, unsurprisingly, always filled with sexual insinuations. 

“Would you please stop it ?”

He must have sounded truly pityful this time because they actually calmed down and gave him sorry looks. Well except Phobos but it was normal, the only fact that he shut his mouth was exceptional. 

Deimos was watching their heated exchange, still chewing on his food. When they finally stopped and Ethos glanced at him their eyes met. He tried to give a reassuring expression, to hide the fact that he was embarassed for the rest of his life. Deimos gave him a small collected smile. Ethos felt a wave of relief submerge him. Blessed were exchange students who didn’t learn the language before moving into another country. He didn’t know if he could stomach being humiliated that way in front of his new crush. 

“Ethos, we’re sorry, we didn’t want to be mean.” Helios grimaced, shame obvious on his face. Phobos scoffed. Selene kicked him under the table. 

“Yes we teased you a bit too much, forgive us.” Praxis straightened up, his voice serious and repentant. 

“It’s just…” Everyone turned toward Selene. “We’d like to see you try sometimes. You never make any attempts with any of your crush and it’s too bad. I mean you’re adorable, I’m sure a lot of people would gladly go on a date with you. I’m sure Deimos, if he’s gay of course, wouldn’t refuse you. He seems nice and cute and he smile at you a lot.”

Ethos blinked at this. 

“Hummm no he’s just like this…I mean sure I saw him smile but he does it with everyone. See he smiled at you.” 

“That was barely a smirk and it was because he saw I was talking about him. I can swear everytime he only look at you he had a real smile on his face.”

Ethos turned quickly, trying to catch Deimos red-handed. This one was smiling. And staring. Ethos blushed violently. Turning back to Selene he tried to defend himself.

“No ! It’s just because I guided him and tried to speak to him in russian and…”

“You know russian ?” Praxis frowned. Of course he would pick up on this…

“…No.”

“Let me guess…Google translate ?” Athos snickered.

“…Yes.”

Ethos could see everyone trying to restrain their laughter. With an exasperated groan he tried to glare at them. It only made Athos crack up. Of course Phobos had to comment.

“I swear that if you used google translate to communicate with me in french I would do anything but smile at you.”

Of course it made everyone burst with laughter. Even Praxis who still tried to preserve his usual dignity and spare Ethos’s as well. 

“How was I supposed to do ?”

“Sorry, sorry.” Selene giggled. “We should respect you for this.”

“Yes it’s not everyone who would accept to ridiculize themselves by massacring someone’s language with google translate. You really have a crush don’t you ?” Athos added.

He would kill them all then burn their bodies till only ashes remained. Then he would use these as cat litter. At least it’s what he wanted to say. But his inner angel was too strong. So instead what came out was this.

“I…I won’t make brownies for the next party if you keep on laughing at me !”

Weirdly they all gasped and stilled. Well except for Phobos who quirked an eyebrow and looked disdainfully at him.

“And ? Ow !” 

He glared at Praxis. Praxis who put his noble behavior back in the closet for one second in order to smack his head.

“You never had Ethos’s brownies ?” 

“…No.”

“Then you can’t understand the power of this threath…” Rasped Helios, looking absolutely horrified. 

Well. It wasn’t exactly how Ethos planned to make them shut up but the outcome pleased him enough.

“Now could you please mind your own business and stop saying nonsense ? Because yes Deimos is cute, yes I might have a crush on him, yes I won’t act on it. And you know why ? Because I know the answer, and the answer will be…”

“Yes.”

It was like time had frozen. He barely managed to turn his head to confirm the source of this word. He might had thought it was his imagination if Deimos hadn’t stopped chewing on his sandwich to lean closer with a seductive smile playing on his lips. 

“…What ?” A small cry escaped his mouth and he cringed.

“Yes.”

Deimos voice was low and a bit hoarse, accent strong. It sent shivers all over Ethos’s body. Either it was his voice or the horrible realization who slowly hit his mind. 

“You…”

“You understand what we say ?” Praxis severe voice phrased what Ethos couldn’t say. What Ethos couldn’t even considerer. Because it was too terrible to be possible. 

When Deimos nodded with a smirk, he felt tears welling in his eyes. 

“Why didn’t you say it sooner ?” He muttered, devastated by the idea that Deimos understood everything. Everything. From the beginning. And said nothing. Waited for Ethos to drown in embarassment to signal it. 

Deimos shrugged. “You were cute. Trying.” 

Then he looked at his watch and got up. But before he left, he took his time to lean down, barely a breath away from Ethos.

“Though I could make you work on your pronunciation. If you want.”

Ethos barely reacted when a tender tiny peck landed on the corner of his mouth. His mind was too shouting fire, his neurons trying in vain to extinguish it. The impact of this brief contact was too much to handle. Every part of his body tensed and every plot of his skin was burning. He could only gape at Deimos as this one stepped back with a satisfied smile. 

“I have class.”

And with this he walked away, sending him one last flirtatious glance above his shoulder before disappearing in the crowd of students. Ethos stayed petrified, even when his friends came back to their senses to smile at him.

“Well I guess someone is really eager for his next class with Keeler.” Selene snickered.

“And won’t be really attentive once again.” Phobos smirked. 

Ethos turned toward them. But he still could only gape. Like his mouth had been paralized by the unexpected and bewitching kiss of Deimos. 

“Damn I should use google translate more often when I hit on exchange students…” Athos noted.

“Don’t. It only worked because Ethos is adorable.” Praxis calmly sayed like it was nothing.

Apparently Deimos agreed with Praxis because the next day he barely spared a glance at Athos when this one said hello in russian. On the contrary his crystal clear eyes seemed totally captivated by Ethos when they talked face to face, all alone at a table, far away from his intrusive friends. And Deimos sure did help him with his pronunciation in the following months. 

He now knew how to moan “da” with a perfect accent.


End file.
